Name: In Defense of Selfishness
Rating: 2.9 (51 reviews)
Author: Peter Schwartz

In Defense of Selfishness summary

Peter Schwartz

Why the Code of Self-Sacrifice is Unjust and Destructive

2.9 (51 ratings)

14 mins

Brief summary

In 'In Defense of Selfishness', Peter Schwartz argues that selfishness is not a vice but a virtue. He makes a case for rational egoism and individualism, suggesting that they are essential for leading a productive life and achieving happiness.

Table of Contents

What’s in it for me? Discover why selfishness is better than altruism.

Have you ever given something up, even though you really wanted it, so that someone else could have it? Sure you have. But did you ever stop to consider why you did that? Why did you give up something you wanted to make sure someone else got what they wanted? Because it felt good? Because it would give good karma?

This kind of self-sacrifice might seem innocuous enough, but, as these blinks will show you, the idea of altruism, universally hailed as a moral one, is not only false, but irrational and dangerous, too. A society based on altruism can lead to totalitarianism and the loss of the only freedom that counts: the freedom of the individual.

So what’s the alternative? Selfishness! Note that this does not mean the amoral, predatory behavior of criminals like Bernie Madoff, but rather leading a principled, honest and self-respecting life based on voluntary exchange, where neither party has to sacrifice themselves. These blinks explain more fully what selfishness really is and why it’s better than altruism.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

why discrimination is sometimes a good thing;
why selfishness is more rational than altruism; and
why altruism leads to a society of mindless yahoos.

Altruism is a harmful doctrine that propagates self-sacrifice and subordination.

Does altruism pave the way to honesty and integrity? Can it bring about equality and social harmony? If you answered yes to either of those questions, you're wrong!

Nearly everyone assumes that it’s moral to put others before yourself; even people who choose to behave unethically usually don't question the theoretical value of altruism. However, the real consequences of altruism are rarely investigated.

Altruism is about subordinating yourself, because it requires servitude, not benevolence. Generously helping a victim of misfortune is not enough; rather, this doctrine of self-sacrifice claims you owe an unchosen debt to which the recipient is morally entitled.

Altruism requires you to put other people's interests before your own and suggests you have no moral right to exist for your own sake. So, to be altruistic, you must be prepared to sacrifice your wealth, goals and interests.

In other words, altruism effectively takes away your possessions, money, time and possibly even your life. Those things are no longer yours, as they now belong to the larger group or society. You surrender yourself for the good of the group; effectively, you're now serving those who have less.

A recent proposal regarding airline safety in the US illustrates the illogical nature of altruism. Many airlines forbid blind people from sitting in emergency rows; this policy, however, was opposed by the New York chapter of the National Federation of the Blind as discriminatory. The NFB proposed blind people be allowed to sit in the emergency rows. This proposal even turned into a Senate bill, which would endanger everyone on the plane in the name of equality – or, in other words, altruism.

In a purely altruistic view, there are only two kinds of people: those who have needs and those who can ensure that those needs are met. That's why governments constantly sap money from those who are able to provide and give it to those who aren't. Governments often subsidize transportation or farming, for instance. People accept these policies because of their altruistic nature, not because of their moral righteousness.

Key ideas in In Defense of Selfishness

What is In Defense of Selfishness about?

In Defense of Selfishness (2015) exposes the dark side of an attribute most of us assume to be good: altruism. It explains why, despite common misconception, altruism is harmful, devaluing both individuals and societies at large – and why selfishness is the alternative that can provide us with liberation.